Bangalore: 'Book Festival' begins, continue till Nov 23

Bengalore, Nov 14: The 10-day 'Bangalore Book Festival-2008' will begin at the Bangalore Palace Grounds here on Friday, Nov 14 and continue till November 23.

Kannada Book Authority chairperson Siddalingaiah told reporters that the fair was jointly organised by the Bangalore Booksellers and Publishers Association and Kannada Book Authority.

Home Minister V S Acharya will inaugurate the festival, while Kannada Sahitya Parishat President Dr Nallur Prasad, Kannada Development Authority president Mukhyamantri Chandru will be present. Cultural programmes including staging of plays and music concerts will be held every day in the evening, Siddalingaiah added.

“The Kannada Development Authority has given Rs 3.25 lakh for the festival. There will be entry fee of Rs 20 while entry for school and college students is free. Two lakh free passes will be distributed to various organisations and institutions involved in publications. Book of all languages will be available for sale," he said. The fair will have as many as 285 book stalls, 61 exclusively for Kannada books, said Kendra Sahitya Academy Secretary Agrahara Krishnamurthy.

Deccan Herald is the media sponsor for the ten-day event. There will be interaction of readers and writers as well, he said. Publication wings of all universities in the State and noted publishing houses will participate, he said.